The event greatly heightened tensions between American colonists and Crown officials, especially since it came on the heels of the Boston Massacre in 1770. In Rhode Island, Crown officials sought to tighten control over legitimate trade and crack down on smuggling to boost revenue from the colony. At the same time, Rhode Islanders grew more vocal in opposing the Townshend Acts and other British policies that disrupted the colony’s traditional businesses, many of which were tied to the triangular slave trade. Along with similar incidents in Narragansett Bay, the event marked one of the first violent uprisings against Crown authority in British North America, taking place over a year before the Boston Tea Party and pushing the Thirteen Colonies closer to the war for independence. The British Customs service had a history of facing strong resistance in the Thirteen Colonies in the 18th century. Britain was at war during much of this period and was not in a strategic position to risk antagonizing its overseas colonies.

When British officials attempted to prosecute the colonists involved in the so-called “Gaspee Affair,” they found no Americans willing to testify against their countrymen. It’s hard to prosecute people when no one will witness against the accused. The problem the British faced was that the Americans were done being told what to do, and so they were rebelling at every turn. Of course, this renewed the tension in British American relations and inspired the Boston Patriots to found the “Committee of Correspondence,” a propaganda group that rallied Americans to their cause by publicizing all anti-British activity that occurred throughout the 13 colonies. This further rebellion was quickly setting the stage for the Revolutionary War, which the British would inevitably lose.

In late 1775, after the battles of Lexington and Concord, the Continental Army laid siege to the British in Boston and seized several of their military bases. Fearing a British counterattack from Canada to reclaim the forts and push down the Hudson River to New York City, the army launched an invasion of Quebec. As they marched north, supplies ran low and smallpox spread. In Maine, a sick James Warner fell behind, and Jemima stayed with him. When he passed away, she covered his body with leaves, grabbed his rifle and powder, and ran 20 miles to rejoin the battalion. Many soldiers were stunned when she emerged from the wilderness days, or even weeks, later, carrying her husband’s rifle.

Once she was back with her husband’s battalion, Jemima Warner served as a cook for the troops, the company tried to approach Quebec under a white flag to negotiate with the enemy, but British cannons forced them back. During the invasion of Quebec, General Richard Montgomery switched tactics and commissioned Jemima Warner to deliver a letter containing his conditions of surrender to Governor Guy Carleton. She accepted the mission and trudged through about 800 yards of deep snow to deliver a proposal to the British, but when she arrived, she was refused admittance into the city. On her second attempt, however, she dressed in a borrowed formal gown and was allowed in. Nevertheless, Governor Carleton tore up the letter, imprisoned her. The Five days later, she was released and rejoined the battalion. Not long after, during the Siege of Quebec on December 11, 1775, she was killed by British gunfire. Although Jemima Warner and Susannah Grier (wife of Sergeant Joseph Grier of Captain William Hendrick’s company) are named in John Joseph Henry’s journal of the expedition through the Maine wilderness, neither is mentioned by name in soldiers’ journals from the invasion of Quebec. Accounts note four women on the American side killed during the siege: one by grapeshot in December 1775, one by burning that same month, one accidentally shot by an American soldier in April 1776, and one struck by lightning in June 1776. It’s often believed that Warner was the woman killed by grapeshot while standing with American soldiers in December 1775.

For Louis Charles XVII to become king was, in fact, impossible. Nevertheless, as it turns out, Louis XVII’s older brother, Louis Joseph, Dauphin of France, died in June 1789, a little over a month before the start of the French Revolution. He assumed the title of Dauphin following the demise of his older brother, Louis Joseph, on June 4, 1789, and became the heir apparent to the throne. He remained Dauphin until 1791 when the new constitution granted the heir apparent the title of Prince Royal. That would set the stage for his eventual transition to king whenever his father died. He didn’t, however, expect that day to come so soon.

The family was captured and imprisoned. After his father’s execution on January 21, 1793, at the height of the French Revolution. Young Louis was separated from his mother on January 19, 1794, after securing a receipt for the safe transfer of their ward, was declared to be in good health. It seems that the committee did not attempt to find another guardian for him. A large part of the Temple records from that time onward disappeared under the Bourbon Restoration, making ascertaining of the facts impossible. Two days later, Louis-Charles is said by the Restoration historians to have been moved into a damp, dark room that was bolted and barricaded like the cage of a wild animal. He had a bed of straw, no lavatory, no way of staying clean and no ways to occupy himself. The story recounts that food was passed through the bars to the boy, who survived despite the accumulated filth of him and his surroundings. While Royalists recognized Louis XVII as King of France, France was now a republic, young Louis-Charles was imprisoned and died on June 8, 1795, at the young age of just 10 years, the last of which were spent in captivity never actually ruling. When the Bourbon monarchy was restored in 1814, his uncle took the throne as Louis XVIII.

Tayla is a name that gets its roots from the Hebrew name Talia, meaning “dew from God” and in this context, means “divine blessing, unconditional love, and quiet spiritual renewal.” It is such a beautiful name. Allyn is a Celtic/Old English name that means “little rock, noble, or harmony” and in a Christian context is associated with “stability, strength, and being a rock of faith.” Allyn is also Tayla’s grandmother, my sister Allyn Hadlock’s name. I can’t think of a better name for this sweet little girl.

Tayla’s mommy tells me that she is absolutely the sweetest!! She has been spending a lot of her time giving her parents and sister lots of sleepy smiles and snuggles, and Kellie just can’t get enough of this precious little girl!! Kellie tells me that Tayla is a “very chill baby” so far, making me picture her in her favorite pair of sunglasses, lazing about in the sun. As is common to babies, Tayla has slept a lot so far, but when she is awake, she is so aware of everything and just loves to look around!! Last night, the family went for their first walk, and Tayla loved it. We went on our first walk tonight and she loved it! Kellie and Tim have a bassinet stroller, so Tayla gets to relax and not be strapped down!! It gives her the freedom to stretch out and relax, as if she were simply in bed. Kellie says, “Tayla is so patient with me, as she learns the ropes of being a new mommy and she gives me this look that I can’t get enough of!! I love that she knows who I am and unlike other babies and am one of the ones who knows how to calm her down!! I feel like I have waited my whole life for what I have now and we are so blessed to be a family of 4!!” It’s a beautiful new life. Welcome to the world and to your family!! We love you so much already!!

The paratroopers were easy targets in any maneuver, especially in such a grave error, and Private John Marvin Steele was one of the few who survived. He took a wound to the foot from a burst of flak, but as he drifted down to almost certain death, his parachute snagged on one of the steeple pinnacles of Our Lady of the Assumption Church (Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption), leaving him dangling from the side. For two hours, he hung there motionless, pretending to be dead, until the Germans captured him. Just four hours later, wound and all, Steele managed to escape and rejoin his division when US troops from the 505th’s 3rd Battalion attacked the village, capturing 30 Germans and killing 11 more. For his bravery and injuries in combat, Steele received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

After healing from his wounds, Steele continued to visit the town throughout his life and was made an honorary citizen of Sainte-Mère-Église. The tavern, Auberge John Steele, stands adjacent to the square and maintains his legacy through photos, letters, and articles hung on its walls. Sadly, Steele died of throat cancer on May 16, 1969, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was buried at the Masonic Cemetery in Metropolis, Illinois. Today, a mannequin still hangs from the steeple of Our Lady of the Assumption Church to honor his incredible story. While some historians have debated the details of the story, the event remains a major, iconic piece of D-Day history and is prominently featured in the 1962 film The Longest Day. As for the citizens of Sainte-Mère-Église, they know the truth and could never be convinced otherwise. This iconic piece of history will always be a part of the town, and the church still displays the mannequin, 82 years later to assure that fact.

We often think of the cowboy as pretty much an American tradition, but in reality, the cowboy has deep historic roots tracing back to Spain and the earliest European settlers of the Americas. Over time, differences in terrain, climate, and the influence of cattle-handling traditions from various cultures led to America’s unique styles of equipment, clothing, and animal handling. As practical cowboys adjusted to the modern world, their gear and techniques evolved too, though many classic traditions remain. They adapted to what they needed in the places they worked. The American cowboy was a key figure during the Westward Expansion, managing cattle and horses while performing tasks like caring for animals, riding the range to keep herds together, branding calves, and driving cattle to market.

The cowboy tradition began in Spain and transitioned to America when the earliest European settlers brought cattle to the Americas. As Americans pushed westward, many Mexican vaqueros were working cattle, and the new settlers learned from them. However, lifestyle and traditions changed throughout the years due to differences in terrain and climate, distinct equipment styles, clothing, and how the cowboys handled the animals. The chief qualifications to work as a cowboy required courage, physical fitness, horsemanship, and skill in using the lariat. Little else mattered out on the range. A man had to be able to hunt for food and kill predators to keep the livestock safe. You couldn’t sell at market the stock that was stolen or killed. Rustlers became a common “predator” in those days. From those wanting to make a quick buck to those in need of food for their starving families, the cattle on an open range were considered a prime catch…if the rustler could get away with it. The cowboys were there to see that it didn’t happen, and the job often made them hard…and lonely. Nights on the range could leave a man longing for female companionship…not that those men always mad good choices there. The saloons were filled with cowboys on their days off, and trouble often ensued! Still, there were those who stayed out of trouble and eventually managed to acquire a wife and get a place of their own. in many ways, while it was a hard life, it was also a good life, and a rewarding one.

The Industrial Revolution marked the beginning of widespread human-generated electricity. Many people credit Benjamin Franklin with discovering electricity in 1752, when he realized that sparks from lightning could produce power. However, the development of electricity on power lines wasn’t the work of just one inventor, but the result of collective engineering efforts and fierce competition in the late 19th century, with several key figures influencing its design and implementation. Before dedicated power lines, cities relied on mechanical systems such as water pipes, air pressure, and moving cables to transmit power. By the 1880s, electric arc lighting and incandescent lighting systems started using wires, but these were short-range and often operated separately for different voltages.

In 1882, Thomas Edison’s Pearl Street Station in New York City became the first centralized power plant, delivering electricity through underground wires to customers within about a mile. It used direct current (DC) at low voltages, which limited its range and required separate lines for different devices. The real gamechanger came with Nikola Tesla’s alternating current (AC) system, promoted by George Westinghouse. Tesla’s patents for polyphase AC motors and transformers made it possible to efficiently change voltage levels, sending electricity over long distances at high voltage and then stepping it down for safe use. This laid the groundwork for today’s overhead and underground transmission systems.

Tesla and Westinghouse may have pioneered AC technology, but the practical setup of overhead power lines…wires strung along towers or poles as we see today…came from engineers and utility companies in the early 1900s. They focused on making them safe, well-insulated, cool enough to operate, and tough against the weather, eventually adapting the designs to carry everything from low-voltage distribution (under 1 kV) to ultra-high-voltage transmission above 800 kV.

Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse developed the AC system that made long-distance power transmission possible, while Thomas Edison created the first centralized power plant and early distribution networks. In the early 20th century, engineers designed the overhead line structures and safety systems that are still used today. Although no one “designed electricity on power lines” in a single moment, Tesla’s AC system and Westinghouse’s efforts to commercialize it were the key breakthroughs that enabled modern overhead power lines, building on the earlier innovations of Edison and others. The need is there, but all of the overhead powerlines are an eyesore…especially when taking pictures.

Alena has always loved children. When she worked, she had a very soft spot in her heart for children who were upset or having a bad day, and especially for those with life struggles they faced at home. That is what made her so good at her job as a Refocus Room teacher at Verda James School in Casper. While getting a child to refocus is at times difficult, once they are calmed, it can be very rewarding. Many of Alena’s students kept in touch with her even after they graduated from high school. That is amazing, since she work in an elementary school. A teacher who changes a child’s life is hard to forget, and her abilities were a long-lasting tribute to her and one she never forgot. She felt honored.

While being a Refocus teacher was Alena’s occupation, her main focus was on her family. Mike was the love of her life, and her nearly 41 years with him were her greatest treasure. Alena always wanted to be a wife and mother, and her children, Michelle Miller, Garrett Stevens, and Lacey Killinger were her pride and joy. As with most mothers, the second-best thing to having children is the day those children have children. Being a grandmother is so much fun, and Alena thoroughly enjoyed it. She loved taking trips to Sheridan to spend time with Garrett and his family, and very much enjoyed the time she spent with Lacey’s stepchildren, Brooklyn and Jaxon. She was a terrific grandmother, and they all love her very much…as do we all. Today is Alena’s birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven. We love and miss you very much and look forward to seeing you when we join you in Heaven.

For her birthday weekend, her family, and Shai’s boyfriend, Angelo took her to Belfair, which is a lovely place south of Seattle. They rented an Airbnb right on the water, and Amy said it was like Heaven. I suggested that someplace like that might be a perfect retirement place for her, or even a vacation home. I think she might be considering such an option. She was truly in her element there. She is totally my “Beach Girl” even though she was born in Wyoming. Amy loves everything about the beach and while Ferndale isn’t right on a beach, she is only eight miles from Birch Bay, which is a very pretty place. She and Travis go out there quite often, and I can totally see why, because I love going there too.

Amy is, quite amazing to me, my “Flower Child” and maybe that because of the longer growing season in the Pacific Northwest, or maybe it’s because of the rainforest of that area. Amy has always loved flowers, but they aren’t quite as easy to grow here as they are there. Her gardens get more and more beautiful every year, and her yard too, because Travis loves yard work. Their back yard is a quiet haven for them to get away from it all at the end of the day. All their friends and family would agree that it is the place to be…and everyone takes whatever opportunity is offered to come and hang out at the Royce home. It’s a cool thing to be the favorite “hang out” spot, and they love it. Amy and Travis have always been social people, although Amy is a bit shy. Still, once she gets to know people, she is fine…she gets that from her mom…as well as some of her looks. Today is Amy’s 50th birthday. Enjoy the month of being the same age as Corrie…it will fly by. Happy 50th birthday Amy!! Have a great day!! We love you!!

Heart Mountain is an 8,123-foot klippe just north of Cody, Wyoming, rising from the floor of the Bighorn Basin. In geology, a klippe refers to an outlying block of rock that was once part of a larger nappe…a sheet of rock that has been transported over considerable distances along a thrust fault. Rather than being a part of the Absaroka Range, Heart Mountain now lies 62 miles to the east, in the Big Horn Basin. Scientists have been able to confirm that Heart Mountain in Wyoming was once part of the range when it formed 50 million years ago…so what happened? Turns out, it moved those 62 miles away thanks to a volcanic landslide that took place over just about half an hour. That means the entire mountain was moving across the basin at 100 miles per hour.

For years, scientists have puzzled over the mystery of Heart Mountain. The summit rocks are roughly 500 million years old, while those beneath are only about 50 million years old. How could the older rocks end up on top of much younger ones? To find out, geophysicist Einat Aharonov from the Weizmann Institute of Science and Columbia University geologist Mark Anders built a computer model to make sense of the available data. In short, unusual water-filled dikes in Heart Mountain left no room for lava during the volcanic activity that formed the Absaroka Range. When pressure from both water and lava increased, it led to a massive explosion and landslide that sent part of the mountain hurtling across the landscape. There are all kinds of scientific proof that this is what happened but suffice it to say that the easiest on is that when the rocks at the bottom of a mountain are millions of years younger than those of the mountain top there is only one possible explanation. The top was moved somehow.

Of course, exactly when this all to place still remains a mystery. However, at the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the mountain was already in its current location. It was from that expedition that Heart Mountain got its name. In the Crow language, it was called “Bíi ásaalée” or “Buffalo Heart Mountain,” inspired by local legends that saw a heart-like shape in its form. William Clark and George Drouillard, a hunter and guide on the journey, drew from this legend when naming the mountain, but decided to use the English version instead of the original Crow name.